Triple reuptake inhibitor potentially ameliorates the chronic unpredictable stress induced comorbid depression and anxiety: A Behavioural based rodent test battery evaluation

Depression and anxiety tend to be the most prevalent conditions among the multitude of neurobehavioural disorders which cause distress in chronic stress condition. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the effect of DOV-216303 (a tripe re-uptake inhibitor) in depression-like and anxiety-like behaviour of rats following CUS. Rats were subjected to an experimental setting of CUS for 20 days. Escitalopram (10 mg/ kg and DOV-216303 (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) were administered to stressed and sham rats for 14 days during stress period from day 7 of stress induction. Following the CUS and treatment, rats were subjected to a rodent’s behavioural test battery (depression/anxiety). The results demonstrate the depression-like behaviour of CUS rats in modified open field exploration, socio-sexual interaction. In addition, an anxiety-like behaviour was evident in social interaction and elevated plus-maze exploration paradigms. Chronic treatment with Escitalopram (10 mg/ kg) and DOV-216303 (5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the CUS associated behavioural deficits. In conclusion, the aforesaid behavioural anomalies observed in CUS rats are analogous to comorbid anxiety and depression in humans.